


Those Aren't Shark Teeth

by Daxii



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Minor Character Deaths, Vampire AU, Vampire!Rin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-06 17:12:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4230060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daxii/pseuds/Daxii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru takes to the internet to find a tutor for his history project.<br/>Good thing Rin is on hand to tell it as if he lived it.<br/>And he's a vampire... so he actually did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Haru leaves his lecture hall trying hard not to pout, but the way his classmates seem even more intent on avoiding him is probably a good indication that his face isn’t exactly cooperating. 

Well, fuck that, then.

He sandwiches himself down between his two friends in the crowded student lunch hall, and sensing his mood, Nagisa pushes a little pile of candy from his never-ending stash towards him, and Kisumi’s arm fits comfortingly around his shoulders. Haru tries to crack an appreciative smile, but all his failing attempt earns him is a tug tighter into Kisumi’s chest.

“Didn’t go as well as you’d hoped, then?” Nagisa interprets, softly, and Haru shakes his head.

“I have to do a project for extra credit,” he grumbles, and feels Kisumi wince on his behalf. “ _History_ ,” he continues with more venom.

“You’ll do _fine_ ,” Nagisa soothes. “You’re so smart, Haru-chan!”

“I hate history,” he grunts, and they both know it, too. Kisumi’s fingers twirl in his hair and he leans in. Kisumi’s always so hand-sy, and it’s almost always annoying, but he does have his uses when Haru’s just so _done_.

“Do you want me to come to the library with you after classes?” he offers.

“I might just do it online… I only need to pass. I don’t need to do _well_.”

Kisumi laughs at him, and Haru feels his hand coming towards his face, and opens his mouth expectantly. Kisumi feeds him some of Nagisa’s sweets, far too tangy for Haru’s usual tastes, but the strawberry sugar fills up some of his miserable void. He’s too late to go and join the lunch-line – everything worth having will be gone. He has an orange in his bag and knows Kisumi will share his coffee with him, but doing without his midday meal isn’t doing much for his mood.

“You’re training this afternoon, right?” Nagisa asks.

“Yeah… I hope Coach Tachibana feels guilty about this.”

“Doubt it,” Kisumi’s still laughing and Haru’s patience for him is starting to wear. “He can’t have his top swimmer flunking his academics, can he?”

Haru grunts and decides to stay quiet for the rest of their break. He knows Nagisa’s only hanging around to make sure Haru doesn’t take Kisumi’s head off on the high probability that he’ll snap, as he’s free for the afternoon and can go back to his flat. Kisumi, however, gets to put up with Haru’s grumbling for another hour after this, in their shared art class, which Haru _also_ hates. He enjoys their free studio time to the fullest, when they’re free to create and explore and do _art_ , but their set lessons focus on theory and history and all the little bitty technicalities Haru doesn’t give two shits about… and just thinking about it snaps another thread of his patience, and he huffs into Kisumi.

“Yeah, I know,” Kisumi strokes his hair again. “It’s just an hour, then you can swim.”

Yeah, and then he can get on this fucking history assignment.

 

Coach Tachibana is so outwardly unaffected by Haru’s best attempt at a menacing glare – which has put Nagisa into tears before now – that Haru finds himself softening just a little bit as Tachibana crouches by him on the edge of the pool, smiling this big silly grin as Haru pants in his lane.

“You really pushed through on those last few laps. Well done.”

“Mm… letting off a little steam.”

“You’re all fired up, huh?”

“Something like that.”

And then Tachibana does what he always does for Haru – and only Haru (not that he’s been watching) – and offers out his hand to tug him up.

“Take a break, yeah? Don’t want you burning out this early in the season.”

 “Yeah, alright,” Haru can’t even make a sarcastic comment about his suddenly enlarged workload. Tachibana’s just too nice to stay mad at.

 

 

Rin wakes up sometime before twilight and gives his room a quick look over, and then spots his little pet, Ai, perched on his monitor screen.

“Look at the _mess_ you’ve made!” he groans. “What do you even _do?!_ Do you fall out with the newspaper in your sleep? Seriously, Ai. You’re nocturnal. I’m nocturnal. Why is the flat always such a state when we wake up?”

The little bat squeaks, and Rin decides to interpret it how he always does, as a desperate apology to his master… even though they have this same argument every morning.

“Alright. I’m gonna clean up and have a shower, kay? And then I think there’s another Wikipedia article I can… make a little more accurate,” even though he really shouldn’t. Even though it’ll be changed back within a couple of days. Whether it’s others of his kind or just a disbelieving human, the mentions of vampires he adds in are always erased.

He puts on music, just quietly, and dances lightly on his toes around his room as he picks up Ai’s never ending mess. When he jiggles out to the lounge, he opens the window to let his pet out to go and feed. Rin thinks he goes to the nearby cattle farms, where there are plenty of large mammals to feed his tiny appetite without making a dent.

Rin’s need for food is a little more difficult, though. And on top of that, he’s due a feed.

So when he’s all clean and fresh, he curls up on his computer chair and starts tapping away at his keyboard. The article can wait… he only does that as his own little bit of amusement. This is more important.

Yet he hates every second of it. He scrolls the sleazy adverts… the desperate students. Strapped for cash and even more starved of contact, begging to be used and abused in a vain hope of finding some pleasure, or even something more.

Rin used to try and choose the people he thought deserved it… the ones who seemed like they were flunking anyway, the ones spending half their scholarships on booze and crack. The ones going nowhere.  The ones no one will miss.

But none of them deserve it. He replies to an advert at random, and within the hour they’ve exchanged numbers and arranged to meet at the bar closest to their place. It won’t be too hard to get them back to his when he’s spiked up his drinks enough.

And by nine that night, he has this clingy red head leaning all over his lap, and gently strokes his back as the boy unloads all his life’s problems. He’s the youngest of three… he has so much to live up to… and he’ll never be as good as his brother at swimming, and oh, how his parents are _so_ disappointed in him.

He says his likes bugs, and most animals, really, and Rin offers to introduce him to Ai before they get down to anything.

He’s so happy and relaxed as Rin lays him out on his bed, biting at the buttons on his shirt and slicking his tongue all over his hairless chest. He’s only young… probably just a Freshman, and Rin wants to draw it out for him. Make his last night a good one.

But the kid is just too inexperienced to hold out for much longer, and as he’s slipping in and out of a post-orgasmic sleep, Rin sucks lightly on his neck, leaving tell-tale marks of their endeavours. And as he giggles with the affection, Rin brings his teeth into play.

Mikoshiba Momotarou doesn’t even have time to scream.

 

 

A week later, Haru resigns himself to failure, and becoming desperate, heads for the sordid side of the internet he otherwise tries to avoid.

And that’s how, amongst all the depravity, Haru's little ad comes to be.

**_21 year old student in need of history tutor._ **

Because like hell is he admitting defeat and being assigned someone from the Student Union. Especially as the last guy Kisumi was helped by ended up as Nagisa's fuck buddy. He hides his internet history when Kisumi comes round for their weekly movie night, and hopes to God he doesn’t get his first reply tonight. Kisumi won’t even laugh – he’ll just _worry._

Even as they’re supposed to be catching up with the Marvel timeline, Haru has a notepad nearby. Just in case he gets hit with a sudden burst of inspiration based on Captain America’s life experiences. He lets Kisumi cuddle up, glad for the comfort of his clingy companion, but he can’t settle in the slightest.

“Stressed?” Kisumi guesses, even though it’s probably obvious. Haru just grunts and lets Kisumi shuffle him around for a shoulder rub. “It could be worse. It could be maths.”

“But you can _help_ me with math! No one we know does history.”

“Just put your mind to it. How can a prodigy be so flummoxed by a text book?”

“Just because I can swim doesn’t mean I can write... And at least maths or even _English_ is a little bit useful. History is pointless,” he kicks out his legs, tangled with Kisumi's, and flops down with his head on the arm of the couch. Or maybe it’s Kisi's arm... He’s stopped caring at this point. 

“Chill,” well that’s easy for him to say, isn’t it? Sailing through his architecture course without even breaking a sweat. “And I’m staying over.”

“You are not,” because like hell is Haru spending a sweaty night spooning with this idiot when he could be getting this assignment out of the way.

“Why not? Got a hot date?”

“Yeah, right.”

“Nah, you have too much of a crush on Yamazaki for that!”

“I do _not_ have a crush on Yamazaki!” and it’s not a lie. It’s not a crush... Just maybe a minor obsession... “And it's not like I’d ask him out anyway. Not my type.”

“Do you even have a type?” Kisumi mocks, cuddling up in a helpless hint so obvious even Haru can tell.

“Mmhmm. Not too tall, for one,” Haru kicks Kisi’s knees – as far as his legs can reach – to prove his point. “And they’ve gotta be a swimmer.”

“Yamazaki’s a swimmer,” Kisumi muses, thoughtfully.

“And he’s even taller than you.”

“Not that you’ve actually gotten close enough to check.”

And Haru has had enough. Despite Kisi’s pout, he wrestles him up and to the door, pausing in his exaggerated irritation to give him a quick hug goodbye, and then has his laptop booting up his email before Kisumi can even have made it to the lift.

 

 

Rin sits down at his computer, feeling sluggish from his latest meal – a woman this time – and idly refreshes Craigslist out of habit, and then something catches his eye. Something he’s actually interested in, and he’s replying before he can even think it through.

**_Hey, I’m Rin and I know history so well it’s like I was there! Come Skype me at ButterflyFangs and I’ll help you out as best I can!_ **

****


	2. Chapter 2

Haru has to set up a skype account before anything can actually come of this. He has a slightly worried suspicion that _ButterflyFangs_ might just be another alias of Rei, the guy Kisumi had tried out before he ended up under Nagisa’s spell, but it alludes more to a middle school emo girl than anything else, and he just hopes she’s not looking for a quick hook up under the pretence of studying, because he’s a bit too gay for that.

 _FreeMackerel_ sounds a bit like he’s an extremely unprofitable fishmonger, but the name is available and it’s a lot less personal than his other idea of _Freenase_. He ignores the promotion to get the free app on his phone, because god help him if Kisumi or Nagisa ever find it. He props himself up on the couch and begins to comprise a document of all the notes he actually _does_ have, with the hope of just presenting it immediately to avoid any awkward email tennis with this chick.

But how does he even start this off? “I’m Haru, please help me with the social and economic structure of England in 1100?”… probably not.

He was once witness to a conversation between Nagisa and Kisumi, the former giving their bumbling idiot “advice” on how to strike up a conversation. And this is Kisumi, who Haru’s always thought as far too confident and charismatic to freeze up when trying to introduce himself to a girl (or guy – Kisumi’s not fussy), but apparently even he can be struck down with sudden, lust induced shyness.

Nagisa’s suggestion of “that’s a gorgeous dress to see thrown across my bedroom” probably isn’t appropriate.

And something overcomes him. Probably nerves and shyness and jut his general lack of online-experience, but all he can come up with is an apology.

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Sorry about this. I need it for extra credit or they’ll kick me off the swim team._

It’s probably the longest thing he’s ever sent via text, even when he’s trying to tell Kisumi off or rein Nagisa in from one of his pranks, and it’s _definitely_ the longest thing he’s ever said to a stranger.

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _Hey are you from CL for the history project?_

Crap. He probably should have clarified that.

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _yeah._

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _So what’s the project? I’m pretty much golden anything post 1563._

That’s a bit of a specific date, and Haru almost wants to google just what could have _happened_ in that year for this chick to get so interested in it (and subsequently study apparently _everything_ since) but doesn’t, just takes her word for it and has to come up with another apology.

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Actually it’s Medieval Europe. Sorry for wasting your time._

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _No no no! I can still help you out!_

Haru’s a little bit concerned with just how _insistent_ she’s being. And has absolutely no idea how anyone can type that quickly.

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Help me out how?_

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _With the project… I still know stuff. It’s just not as ‘first hand’ if you know what I mean._

Haru doesn’t, but decides not to bother.

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Oh. Thanks. I’ll just send the file._

It’s somewhere during a very, _very_ long explanation on feudalism that Haru ceases to be able to read the wall of text. It’s probably stellar. It’s probably perfect. But it’s boring as hell and he just doesn’t want to deal with it. It’s enough for now that he at least copies the information Rin’s given him into his draft document, and hopefully he’ll be able to rearrange it into actually constructive paragraphs when he’s feeling a little more motivated. The silence between their online communication drags on, and then he sees Rin is typing again.

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _What do you swim?_

At last! A conversation topic Haru is actually interest in! He feels his lips quirk up in a smile as he rattles of the word in a second.

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Free_

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _Butterfly._

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _I’m on the team at the Central University._

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _I’m not on a team. Just for fun these days. Dawn swims when no one’s around._

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Don’t be shy._

 ** _ButterflyFangs:_** _I’m not_ shy _, just more room to spread my wings._

And then there’s an entire row of wink emojis. Haru’s torn between a frown and a smirk, confused if this is straying into the realms of weird flirting yet or not.

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _Brb. My bird is being an idiot._

 

“Fucking dammit, Ai, get out of the cupboard! Or do you not care about my social life?!”

If Ai had eyebrows Rin’s pretty sure that he’d be raising one in bemused sarcasm, and with a pout quickly wafts him away from the towel closet he really shouldn’t have left open in the first place.

He returns to his laptop, feeling _slightly_ too aware of how he’s smiling like a school girl, but allows himself to revel in his happiness. It’s been so _long_ since he’s had such a pleasant conversation, after all, and he’s probably a bit more excited than is strictly necessary to see _FreeMackerel_ typing.

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Lol._

Well, what else was Rin expecting?

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _So, what’s your name?_

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Haru_

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _And how old? If you don’t mind…_

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _20, second year._

Rin snorts a little at his phrasing. Second year of being 20? He muses on the fact that his next significant birthday will be his 500th, because there reaches a point in ever vampire’s immortal life when they stop celebrating every decade and half-centuries become more realistic.

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _You?_

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _I’m 21. What do you study?_

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Art and Design. Guess you do history?_

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _hahahaha no, actually. I’m not even a student. Just a hobby._

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _oh_

“Oh”… ? Is that it? Is that all he’s going to get? Has he said something wrong for the conversation to suddenly die such a death? He frowns, and even Ai comes to sit on the edge of the desk and give him a comforting (sort of) look.

 **_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _I work as an editor. What do you want to be?_

 **_FreeMackerel:_ ** _I just want to swim._

Yeah. Rin can understand that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tell me how you feel about the formatting of these skype convos?


	3. Chapter 3

Kisumi is annoying to sit next to, but he’s also the type of guy who’s really into keeping his coloured fine liners super organised in their original box. Haru wonders if he’s had to buy special packs just to restock the blue colours Haru keeps using up, but Kisumi never says anything. Whenever the tip feels crisp and new and the colour is brighter than the previous day, Haru makes sure to treat Kisumi to lunch or if he’s on the skint side, a sleepover is always highly sought after.

Which is why Haru’s just had to sign out on Rin and close his laptop, trying hard not to smirk at the frowning face she sends. She read over a few paragraphs for him and gave him her approval, but he’s not had time for anything else with Kisumi coming over, and even feels a little bit guilty.

Kisumi rocks up with a big (BIG) bottle of Pepsi and a whole buffet of snacks that will only end up in Haru’s fridge as an excuse for him to “nip round” probably every evening this week, but he’s seemed agitated all day and told Haru he wanted to talk about something so… Haru can deal with it. He’s coping well enough with his own work load thanks to Rin to relax and let his buddy whine for a bit. They all know he does the same.

“Hee _eey_ ,” he sings, passing his carrier bags into one hand and hooking the other arm around Haru, guiding him towards the couch, so confidently making himself comfortable that Haru has to smirk. “I brought you those satay sticks you liked from that take out the other week.”

“I… feel like you’ve done something wrong,” Haru says carefully, taking the little packet like it’s some sort of bomb. “Kisumi…”

Kisumi coughs and blushes and sighs all at once, and ends up sitting there with his knees up to his ears and this little happy out as he pretends to be insulted. Haru would think him cute if it wasn’t for that unmistakable _guilt_.

“ _Kisumi_ ,” he repeats, much more of a warning tone now, and Kisumi squirms in his seat. “What did you do?”

Kisumi gulps, pout wobbling, and takes a deep breath. He holds Haru’s eye as best he can. “I was… in the library with Yamazaki yesterday… and… um…”

“He asked you out, didn’t he?”

“ _Kiiiind_ of…”

“Kisumi?”

“Yes?” he squeaks in such a comical fear that Haru’s struggling to keep his face straight.

“Why are you acting like I should care?” he relaxes his voice and his stance and sees Kisumi just _collapse_ as the weight lifts off him, and then actually collapse, getting Haru squished into the couch. “ _Hey_.”

“I’ve not said yes yet. Wanted to… clear it with you first.”

“And you thought the best way of doing that was to squeal yourself into a seizure?”

“Have you _tried_ talking to you? You’re intimidating.”

Obviously not intimidating enough if he’s apparently still so cuddly, but Haru lets Kisumi get comfortable, rubbing his back with one hand and channel surfing with the other. Thankfully, Kisumi has an early class and Haru gets to evict him after breakfast. He’s free until after lunch, and with nothing else with an imminent deadline, he opens his laptop to string together more random historical facts and just hope they make sense. Rin is online.

 

**_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _Heeey, what you up to so early?_

Ok, so maybe giving Haru more than 0.3 seconds to let his computer load up would have been a better idea.  Great way to start coming off like a clingy little leech.

**_FreeMackerel:_ ** _My friend stayed over. That’s why I couldn’t talk last night._

**_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _Oh ok. No worries. So… you free now?_

**_FreeMackerel:_ ** _I guess. Working on History anyway._

Rin’s pretty tired, but he manages to stay awake to help Haru out. Haru sends him a paragraph to be checked over every ten minutes or so, and Rin finds he’s doing nothing but staring pretty dreamily at his laptop as he sees the _FreeMackerel is typing_ flash in their chatbox.

So it takes him a minute to realise he’s pouting just a little bit when Haru has a longer gap between messages. He gets agitated, leans forward to his screen and goes to the contact list to check he’s still online. He is, but he’s just gone… quiet.

**_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _Fun having your friend stay over?_

Rin asks just to break the silence, just to have a bit more of this… human contact. It’s so innocent, so pure, so easy. There’s something so _natural_ about just striking up a conversation with this guy that he never wants them to end. His stomach flutters when he sees Haru typing again.

**_FreeMackerel:_ ** _He’s fun but he’s clingy._

**_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _Annoying?_

**_FreeMackerel:_** _A bit_.

There’s another silence. Maybe it was a hint? Haru trying to be nice and polite in shooting down Rin’s desperate attempts at conversation? He slumps back in his seat, a little upset and dejected. But then Haru starts typing again.

**_FreeMackerel:_ ** _He wanted permission to date the guy I like. And then cuddled me all night._

**_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _At least you got cuddles! Sounds like my kind of guy. All I have is my stupid bird._

**_FreeMackerel:_ ** _You don’t have friends?_

**_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _Not really… I’m not really that good around people…_

**_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Lies._

**_ButterflyFangs:_ ** _No… really. It’s hard to explain._

**_FreeMackerel:_ ** _Oh. Ok. I’m not really used to girls. I don’t know what to say._

Rin blinks at his screen a few times.

Gi…girls?

Haru thinks he’s a…

He clicks on the video call button a second later. It rings a few times, just long enough for Rin to start regretting this stupid impulse, but then Haru answers. Only on voice, no face, and they can just hear each other breathing in an awkward silence while Haru must be looking at Rin on the webcam.

Rin quickly closes his gaping mouth, tries to adjust his expression to _cool_ rather than somewhere between giddy and tired and surprised all at once.

“Uh. Hi. I’m a _guy,_ Haru.”

“Um… yeah,” his voice is sort of stuttered in nerves, but that doesn’t take away just how _smooth_ it is. Rin decides he likes it.

“I can’t believe you thought… I know it’s kinda girly but come _on_ , man! Hey, what’s _“Haru”_ short for anyway, then?”

There’s a slight pause. “Haruka.”

“ _See!_ Never assume! You’d get _lynched_ on tumblr for that!”

“What’s tumb –”

“Never mind. You don’t wanna go there I promise. So… hi.”

“Hi.”

Rin can’t help but smile, looking right at the camera. “You shy? Come on, I won’t bite.”

And then all he can do is stare as Haru’s webcam comes to life.

**Author's Note:**

> So I know I haven't written anything in ages and I know I have so many other things I should be working on.  
> But then this just... happened.


End file.
